Pierce The Veil returns after six long years

Sabrina Girardi, Arts and Entertainment Editor

After six years of waiting for our beloved punk rock band Pierce The Veil to return, they have pierced our souls again with the first song of their upcoming album “I Prevail”. “Pass the Nirvana” was released on Sept. 1 and listeners were euphoric. The band grabbed the paddles and shocked their fans back to life with this spectacular song, and fans did not fail to revive. Already reaching their second most listened-to song according to Amazon Music, the new hit has been covered by almost every metal news source, including “Rock Sound” and “Original Rock”. The reception has been nothing but positive, and there is no question why. Some of the best parts of the song are right in the beginning, with immediate swings of bass and dramatic sounds that make listeners’ skin boil, in the best way. This really lets them know that this song will be one of their favorite songs of the year. Not only does this addictive song catch one’s attention immediately, but it maintains its allure every time they hit the “repeat” button. Goosebumps are left to litter the skin as the chorus screams “Give up”. The bass sets every nerve ending aflame as Jaime Preciado (lead bassist) and Tony Perry (lead Guitarist) follow the intensity of Vic Fuentes’s powerful vocals. After the allegations of sexual misconduct regarding Mike Fuentes (previous Pierce The Veil drummer), fans are excited to see the band reform into an even better version of what they already were, without the ex-drummer. Not only does the intensity of this post-hardcore song shake listeners down to the marrow in their bones, but so does the extremely weighted meaning behind the lyrics. “‘Pass the Nirvana’ is about the many horrible traumas that the youth of America have endured over the past few years,” Fuentes told Genius. “COVID, no proms, no graduations, an insurrection, school shootings. The list goes on.” Continuing, he said, “Their lives have been tossed around like clothes in a dryer, as the tensions within our country have infiltrated our own homes, friends and families. To me, the song represents a euphoric detachment from all of that anxiety and stress and about finding some form of peace or nirvana.” These lyrics no doubt hit close to home with the youth of today. It is very powerful to see a band take on such a hard time for a massive amount of people, which is common with the posthardcore genre to tackle more expression. Having a musician validate hard times that people go through is extremely comforting, and this is a way that Pierce the Veil has repeatedly connected to their listening base. The band has a unique way of telling stories, with vocals that highlight the tenseness of certain parts of their tales or screaming bass with traumatic stories they create. Overall, Pass The Nirvana has left listeners with a sense of warmth and excitement as they wait for the new album to be released sometime in late 2022- early 2023. Also, fans come together to sell out almost every one of Pierce The Veil’s shows for their tour this fall. If fans have not bought their tickets yet, there are two shows at The Fillmore in Detroit this November where the opportunity to discover that, in real life, Pierce The Veil music is somehow better, is awaiting.